SXSW: Geeksta Rap Godfather's 5 Steps to Nerdcore Stardom

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SXSW: Geeksta Rap Godfather's 5 Steps to Nerdcore Stardom

AUSTIN, Texas – Nerdcore rapper wannabes, take notice. Damian Hess, better known among fans of the nerdy hip-hop subgenre as MC Frontalot, is here to school you.

The master MC (pictured above) was hanging out in Austin for South by Southwest to promote the release of Nerdcore Rising, a documentary following the godfather of the genre on his first national tour. Hess, who began rapping with friends during college, recorded his first songs as MC Frontalot nearly a decade ago.

"I called it nerdcore because I was performing for an audience of BobaFett action figures," said Hess over dinner in Austin. "And I thought, how nerdy is this?"

Nerdcore hip-hop is shaped by geeky monikers (like Optimus Rhyme andMC Hawking) and lyrics embracing all aspects of geek culture like math skills, coding protocols and Star Wars. Not surprisingly, the underground music movement has inspired a cult following.

Want to be the next nerdcore rap superstar? Hess, aka Front, is here with five tips that will help you achieve your dreams of becoming a computer-science baller, a rhyme-spitting, algorithmic shot-caller.

Step 1: Embrace Your Inner DorkdomAvoid sports and those who understand sports. Cultivate instead a wide variety of intellectual pursuits, like ColecoVision. Pick your favorite Doctor Who doctor, your least favorite Trek captain and one issue ofHeavy Metal to dog-ear during your post-adolescence. Be prepared to defend each of these choices in heated debate. You will waste your allowance on Marvel comic books, which is appropriate since this tip involves retconning yourself.You may, of course, skip this tip if you are already the product of a dorky childhood, or if time travel is impossible.

Step 2: Forget the People Who Dissed You Back in the DayOne day you will notice that you never really wanted to hang out with those jackasses anyway, and you will begin to feel pride over formerly shameful aspects of your character: your wealth of flawless Python quotes, your home-brewed Linux kernel, your persisting virginity. You are almost ready to rock a nerdcore track.

__Step 3: Pick an Awesome Rap Name __You may want it to subtly communicate your geekishness. For reference: Kid Decoder, subtle; tEH 133t3st H4x0R 3v4RR, not subtle. Suggestion for a nerdcore lady rapper: Minnie Perl. You can have that one. Really, gratis.

Step 4: Get Ready to Rock a Nerdcore TrackCarefully choose a software multitracker, hardware D/Ainterface and starter microphone (Note: Those vended by Radio Shack do not rise to the level of "starter"). Learn to use these things through trial, error and the studious perusal of home-recordingFAQs. Dedicate yourself to the mysterious art of beatsmithing, or just jack a drum break from your favorite old record. I use the term "record"only to be snotty; I mean MP3. Loop, repeat. Compose and record a vocal.Practice this until you are not entirely embarrassed by the result. Do notsidestep embarrassment by pretending that your song is meant to sound terrible for comic effect. Mix carefully and serve.

Step 5: Become a World-Famous Nerdcore Rap StarI don’t have a well-developed tip for this one. I assume it just automatically happens.